


Dance With Me Daddy

by PizzaNSunshine



Category: Elena of Avalor
Genre: F/M, Family, Fluff, OC, eleteo, eleteo babies, married eleteo
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-06
Updated: 2019-06-06
Packaged: 2020-04-11 14:35:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19111672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PizzaNSunshine/pseuds/PizzaNSunshine
Summary: A Dad-teo fic inspired by the song, "Cinderella" by Stephen Curtis Chapman.





	Dance With Me Daddy

**Author's Note:**

> So I will dance with Cinderella  
> While she is here in my arms  
> 'Cause I know something the prince never knew  
> Oh, I will dance with Cinderella  
> I don't wanna miss even one song  
> 'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight  
> And she'll be gone

_ She spins and she sways _ __   
_ To whatever song plays _ __   
_ Without a care in the world _ __   
_ And I'm sitting here wearing _ _   
_ __ The weight of the world on my shoulders

_ \---------- _

Mateo couldn't remember the last time he'd truly smiled. Elena was pregnant with their second child, which should have been a source of supreme joy and excitement. But this pregnancy had been difficult, and his beautiful, energetic wife was miserable and bedridden.

Because of this, Mateo was wearing more hats than usual in his daily life: husband, father, royal wizard, and—queen. Sort of. He wasn't ruling. No. He was taking care of busy administrative tasks on her behalf. Which he was glad to do. Anything to make her life a little easier, especially when she was so sick.

But he couldn't deny that the months of busy days and sleepless nights were taking their toll.

Exhausted and clutching an armload of rolled up decrees, he made his way through the castle halls to the royal suite. Though it was getting late, his mind was spinning with all of the tasks he still had yet to do. Tasks that needed his attention among the things he'd rather devote his attention to.

Turning the corner into the hallway entrance to the royal family’s wing, Mateo paused. The sound of soft guitar picking met his ears, piquing his attention. Only two people played guitar like that and he knew one of them was currently busy in the dining room making sure not a speck of that evening's decadent dessert was wasted. The other was  _ supposed _ to be on bed rest.

Mateo picked up his pace, hurrying to the door, the music growing louder as he approached.

Pausing, his hand on the doorknob, he listened. The music was coming from inside. He smiled ruefully, for there was no doubt in his mind that it was Elena playing when she was supposed to be resting. 

In spite of the anxiety and exhaustion plaguing him, Mateo smiled, a soft warmth rising within at the scene before him. His very pregnant wife was sitting up in bed, the covers over her lap with pillows propped up behind her back. Her guitar rested over the swell of her belly, yet even at that strange angle, she managed to coax a beautiful melody from the strings. 

Beside the bed, little Ana Lucia was spinning and twirling in time to the music. Her arms outstretched and eyes closed, completely oblivious to his presence. Ana's joyful abandon reminded him so strongly of Elena, his throat tightened and his eyes stung. 

Before he could open his mouth to remind Elena about the doctor’s orders—again—Ana spotted him. Her entire face lit up, flooding the room with its light. It was as if she'd just seen her favorite person in the world. 

Running over to Mateo, she tugged at his elbow, bouncing up and down as she chattered happily about her day. How she was a princess and she'd had an adventure where she rescued a prince from a horrible scary dragon! With the sword moves uncle Gabe taught her! And the prince wanted to thank her so he was throwing a ball for her but she needed to practice her dancing! Mami couldn't dance with her but she made the music and now she NEEDED her papi to help her! 

Mateo listened with a small smile, trying hard to keep up with her quick words, wanting to focus solely on the precious child before him. But he struggled to silence the ever present worries and fears and stress whispering to him from the back of his mind. Elena being sick. The kingdom. His wizard's duties. The palace. Their family. The staff. His responsibility. Failure not an option.

His throat tightened and his eyes stung when Ana said she needed him. “Please, daddy, please!” she begged, her eyes wide and earnest as she tugged harder on his elbow.

He hesitated. He loved his daughter with all of his heart. How could he deny her this simple request?

But.

He looked at the pile of scrolls and books in his arms, representative of the endless work stretching before him. 

Sighing sadly he looked back to his little daughter, ready to make a promise for later. Soon. When things calmed down? Or once he'd made some progress? When he didn't feel like their world was about to crumble around them?

Abruptly then the music changed and Mateos eyes snapped up. He knew that song. It was a song Elena had sang for him many times. A song of love and encouragement. And when he met her eye, that was exactly what was shining out at him. 

_ Rest mi Amor. _

He blinked, a small shot of panic squeezing his heart.  _ But there's so much work. The kingdom. You need me. _

_ She needs you most.  _

Mateo's breath caught in his throat and he nodded.

He knew she was right. He couldn't let the weight of the world drag his attention away from the things that mattered most in his life. Especially the ones that would all too soon be gone. Every day he felt like his baby girl was growing right before his eyes. Soon she wouldn't be such a baby anymore.

So, in spite of the crushing weight on his shoulders, he walked over to the bed and dumped the scrolls unceremoniously, leaning over to press a kiss to Elena's forehead before turning around and grinning down at little Ana, his hands on his hips.

“Alright,  _ mi princesita _ . What shall we dance? A salsa, perhaps? A merengue?”

Ana groaned dramatically, putting her hands on her hips in such a precocious manner, it took every ounce of control Mateo possessed to keep from laughing.

“Daaadyyy! Don't you know you can ONLY dance the waltz at a royal ball?”

“Who told you that?”

“Cousin Esteban.”

Mateo rolled his eyes, meeting Elenas amused gaze and chuckling as he said, “Of course he did.” He sighed a dramatic sigh of his own. “Alright then. Let's dance!” 

He held out his hand but Ana shook her head vehemently. “No, no no! FIRST you have to bow and say, ‘You are looking lovely tonight Princess Ana. May I have this dance?’” She said this in a singsong voice.

Mateo raised an amused eyebrow and shot a look at Elena.

_ She is definitely your daughter. _

Elena's musical laugh rang out as she began plucking out a gentle waltzing tune. Though Mateo did not miss the fleeting grimace of pain on her face.

“Elena! Are you—”

“I'm fine, mi amor,” she assured him, though a little breathlessly, “It happens all the time. I believe you have some dancing to practice.”

Still worried, he turned away from his wife, who he knew was hurting. But Ana was still watching him expectantly, and he couldn't help but smile affectionately for her. He grinned crookedly and gave his best courtier bow, exactly the way Esteban had taught him, holding out a hand.

“Princess Ana Lucia of Avalor, you are looking exceptionally lovely tonight. Would you do me the extreme honor of dancing with me?”

Ana smiled brightly and giggled, her hazel green eyes sparkling with joy. Mateo's heart warmed as he noticed the smudge of dirt on her cheek and the gaping hole in her smile where she'd lost her first tooth just a few nights before. 

The little princess gave a deep curtesy, nearly stumbling and losing her balance. Catching herself and rising, she took his hand and said, “The pleaseure is all mine, daddy.”

And so they danced, waltzing around the room in time to Elena's guitar strumming. Ana's tiny hands in Mateo's, his eyes stinging as he realized just how much joy and happiness this simple gift of his time had brought to her and silently vowed to never again lose sight of what was most important. 

Because all too soon, his baby girl was going to grow up. And he knew he wanted to be there for every single moment until that moment and after.

 


End file.
